BERKELEY HIGH
PUBLISHED BY AND FOR THE STUDENTS OF BERKELEY HIGH SCHOOL no. 7
www.berkeleyhighjacket.com • friday, november 19, 2021
DAY :
RALLY
BY ERIN BARTHOLOMEW & TOBI HAIMS staff writers
Rally Day at Berkeley High School (BHS), recently synonymous with mayhem and violence, has been going on for longer than almost anyone can remember. But the day that closes off spirit week was not always full of the bottle-throwing and partying it’s now known for.
since 1912
Examining the Complicated History of This Controversial Tradition at BHS
Benette Williams, a BHS French and Spanish teacher, attended BHS as a student from 1957 to 1960. At the time, there was no Rally Day; students channeled their energy into the homecoming football game and school dance. When Williams became a teacher, a friendly competition between graduating classes was introduced. Each class was judged by a group of teachers on a variety of categories, such as class behav-
ior and c ostumes. Classes also earned points when they participated in service and community activities. “We were painting the blocks in the courtyard, we were planting trees, we were weeding. Each class would take a day of that week to clean up the campus,” said former Vice Princi-
pal Amy Frey, who also graduated from BHS in 1984. At the end of spirit week, whichever grade had the most points would get their graduation year engraved on a trophy known as the Spirit Cup, which was kept in the Donahue Gym. “It made spirit week inclusive and not just [centered] around partying,” Frey said. “Having activities during that week really helped channel the energy for students.” PAGE 8
MAHELA CABRINI
BHS Custodians Afflicted by Severe Staff Shortage
Berkeley Theaters Navigate Lasting Impacts of COVID-19
The Harm of Equating Sex and Violence in Film Ratings
Custodians feel abused and disappointed after being overworked to compensate for the staff shortage. PAGE 2
Theaters are struggling against a variety of challenges to win back the customers they lost during the pandemic. PAGE 11
Holding sex and violence to the same moral standard when rating films places a problematic stigma on sex. PAGE 13
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021
NEWS BERKELEY HIGH JACKET
news editors: Naomi Rubalcava Levinthal & Clara Brownstein
naomirubalcavalevi@students.berkeley.net
‘Helped Us Unify:’ Senior Class Holds Sunrise and Spellout BY SYLVIE FOLEY MADDOX staff writer
This year’s seniors have spent almost half of high school online, and, as a result, many say that class pride and unity among the class of 2022 have taken a hit. So, on Monday, November 8, the senior leadership team and John Villavicencio, the Berkeley High School (BHS) director of activities, organized a senior sunrise and spell out to help create class unity. Around 250 members of the senior class gathered at Inspiration Point in Tilden Regional Park to watch the sunrise. Students arrived by bike and carpool. They drank coffee and ate
donuts, before making their way back to school to have a spell out, forming a number 22 on the football field. Phil Halpern, the video production teacher, took an aerial photo using a drone. “The class is kind of broken up into groups and, while we are content with them, this event helped us unify, which was nice,” said Ko Wiedlin, the senior class vice president. He said that the group that came was diverse and, for some of them, it was their first time seeing each other with masks off. BHS senior and chief of publicity Adam Wilan echoed this sentiment. He said that the event helped generate some cohesion that the class didn’t previously have because of the time spent in distance-
learning. “Because of the pandemic, we don’t remember how fun things can be,” Wilan said. The senior class leadership team planned the event, picking up 7.5 gallons of coffee from Peet’s and 240 donuts. By the end of the morning, they had run out of both. “S e n i o r s u n r i s e i s a tradition that has been going for a really long time,” Wiedlin said. “It took about 4 to 5 weeks to plan.” Since the administration and school have not yet sanctioned a Spirit Week or Rally Day this year, which seniors tend to enjoy, having a fun activity was crucial. “Rally week is essential for senior morale,” Wilan said. “Now that it is cancelled, being a senior is a lot less exciting.”
Wiedlin said that he thinks the cancelation of Spirit Week was responsible for the high turn out. “Seniors were itching for a way to get together,” he said. “Rally day as a senior is something you look forward to for four years,” said Lilliana Porter, another member of the senior class leadership team. “Rally day being canceled was really disappointing for a lot of us.” Despite this, Wiedlin, Porter, and Wilan agreed that canceling Rally Day was the right decision for student safety. “I wish I could say it wasn’t,” Porter said. “But, at the same time, I can see where admin is coming from, and, more than anything, I think student safety is a top priority.”
Both Porter and Wiedlin were hopeful that the administration will sanction a Rally Day during the spring
semester, when there is less of a staff shortage and more time to hold student consent training sessions.
OWEN BLAIR
BHS Custodians Afflicted by Staff Shortages During Pandemic BY SHANZA SYED staff writer
Wit h hygiene and disinfecting more important than ever, Berkeley High School (BHS), like much of the state, is facing a custodial staff shortage. According to Jeffrey Snow, facilities and operations manager at BHS, there are currently 15 night custodians and one day custodian at BHS. Some BHS custodians feel overworked and under supported during the return to in-person school. “It’s too much work and
we don’t get any reward,” said Casey, a custodial staff member whose name has been changed for privacy reasons. “They don’t pay us more and make us work double.” With the world slowly returning to normal, some custodians and other essential workers are pursuing more stable jobs that have greater dependability, safety, and better pay. This is reflected at BHS regarding the situation of the custodial staff shortage. Many janitorial workers have grown tired of the vandalism that adds to their work, like the recent
‘Devious Licks’ challenge. This trend on TikTok promoted stealing items from school and then progressed to detaching doors from bathroom stalls and clogging toilets. A couple of other examples include graffiti found all around the campus. This adds to the work custodians already had to perform to clean up after students, such as cleaning drawings off of desks and picking up trash around the campus. “Students think vandalism affects management and the district, [but] it really affects us,” said Alex, another
custodian whose name has been changed. “We are the ones who have to clean up after them and work harder. It’s not fair.” In acknowledgement of the strain being put on essential workers, many teachers are trying to help lessen their workload where they can. Some clean up as much as possible. Others try to erase drawings off of desks when they can, such as Carlos Poma Morales, a Spanish teacher at BHS. “I want my students to have clean desks. Because there aren’t that many [custodial]
Some BHS custodians feel overwhelmed amidst a staffing shortage and an uptick in student vandalism.
ISABELLA TASSO
staff, we [teachers] try to help them out whenever we can,” Morales said. This labor shortage is something the nation as a whole has been experiencing. Wit h m ore an d m ore essential workers quitting the workforce, this phenomenon has been nicknamed ‘The Great Resignation.’ Over 4.3 million people quit their jobs in August of this year alone. As people continue to quit, the unemployment rate in the United States is surging. Aside from the shortage, custodial staff also say the district is not providing them with what they require in order to carry out their services properly. One particular issue that has become more relevant recently is the lack of raincoats for staff members. Since the trash dumpster is located at the side of the school, workers have to walk there in the rain while the trash they carry gets soaked. “We feel very abused and disappointed because we feel like they can call people to help us but instead they don’t,” Casey said. Additionally, given that workers already have to do more, if any one worker is absent, the responsibility falls on the other staff members to make sure their sections are covered as well, in the same
amount of time. T he shor t age is a ls o affecting the sustainability of the custodians’ work. Often when recycled waste is thrown away, most if not all of it goes into the trash, and some custodians try to sort everything into the proper bins. “I personally try to help with the planet and with the Earth, but my old supervisor said I do too much,” Casey also said. With these issues going on, many workers around the United States are asking for more help and better pay. On October 8, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed record legislation dedicating $123.9 million to kindergarten through grade 12 education. However, this funding only goes into effect in 2025. Using the passing of the new bill, the district could receive increased funding in the future to hire more classified staff at BHS and other schools in the district, including custodial staff. Hiring more staff would reduce the workload of each custodian at BHS. It would also allow custodians to prioritize aspects of their work such as separating out landfill, compost, and recycling to increase sustainability at BHS.
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021
NEWS
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Where is BUSD Collecting COVID-19 Vaccination Data? BY FINOLA JACKSON staff writer
While Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) has access to COVID-19 vaccination rates among students and staff, many students won’t remember ever being asked if they were vaccinated by the district. BUSD collects data about the COVID-19 vaccination status of students and staff from the California Immunization Record database (CAIR), or from families informing the district with their vaccine cards. This data is stored in Infinite Campus. BUSD has aggregated district-wide student and staff vaccination status data to share with BUSD families. Staff vaccination rates are shared on the BUSD COVID-19 case dashboard, and student vaccination rates are shared at school board meetings. Currently, 92 percent of BUSD staff are vaccinated. CAIR is maintained by the state of California and is accessible to all California public schools. BUSD public information officer Trish McDermott said via email that the CAIR database is “generally very accurate, but not 100 percent accurate.” “In some instances we
see a student’s second COVID-19 vaccine dose in the registry, but not the first dose,” wrote McDermott. “In this situation we will reach out to a parent/guardian to understand if the student is fully vaccinated and ask for a scan of the white card.” According to Lina Ma, licensed vocational nurse (LVN) at the health center La Clinica, errors in the CAIR about an individual’s vaccination status usually occur when a person has two CAIR accounts. People may have two CAIR accounts if they have a middle name or two last names and the CAIR system mistakenly created an extra account. As individual vaccination records are protected medical records, BUSD is prohibited from disclosing any individual records to the public. However, BUSD decided to aggregate all COVID-19 vaccination data for BUSD students, with the only specifics being whether a student is 16 to 17 years of age or 12 to 15 years of age. Staff vaccination date was also aggregated into a single statistic. This aggregation makes it impossible for the public to know immunization statistics by grade, school, or area. “We published that sta-
tistic, one for students and one for staff, so that our community members have a sense of the relative rate of vaccination in this community,” said BUSD Superintendent Brent Stephens. Stephens said that the vaccine data wasn’t pivotal in opening Berkeley schools. However, he said the high vaccination rate data reassured some teachers and parents that in-person school would be safe. “It was important in the sense that it led to confidence in parents who may have been on the fence about sending their own child,” said Stephens. “I think it also gave teachers a sense of confidence that by and large students are vaccinated.” McDermott said that vaccination data is also important for tracing close contacts of individuals who test positive for COVID-19. “Our contact tracing team uses this information to determine whether or not a student or staff member will need to quarantine after an exposure,” said McDermott. Overall, McDermott said the high vaccination rates of BUSD students contributes to keeping the BUSD schools open for in-person learning and the school communities safe. ZOE FUNG
Students, Staff Feel Secure After BHS COVID-19 Outbreak BY AELIA GYGER staff writer
On Thursday, October 28, Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) reported seven COVID-19 cases at Berkeley High School (BHS), six of which were student athletes. This was the first outbreak at BHS — an outbreak being classified as three or more related cases in fewer than 14 days. Those who were found positive were tested by the district’s surveillance pro-
gram, a program that tests BUSD students from kindergarten to high school who participate in high transmission sports. Roughly 23 percent of BHS students and staff received an email the days following the outbreak, stating that they had been in close contact with a positive case, making that at least 700 students. Quarantine was not mandatory for those who were vaccinated. Those who were not vaccinated had to follow a modified quarantine, meaning they were
allowed to attend school as long as they had no symptoms, but couldn’t participate in extracurricular activities or sports. “What happened at BHS last week is a reminder for all of us that the pandemic is far from over,” said the district’s Public Information Officer Trish McDermott. “Although case rates are lower [and] transmission is lower — certainly in Berkeley vaccination rates continue to grow — we are still in a pandemic and have to act accordingly.”
Mat Glaser, a Universal Ninth Grade (U9) physics teacher, was one of those who got an email. “I feel pretty safe at Berkeley High [in terms of COVID-19],” Glaser said. “The kids are mainly keeping their masks on and since I’m fully vaccinated and got my booster I feel pretty well.” BHS has been regularly testing all student athletes participating in indoor and close contact sports. Athletes that play a sport with a large distance, such as golf
The chart tracks COVID-19 cases reported by BUSD since August 20. View up-to-date data at BerkeleyHighJacket.com.
JEROME PAULOS
and tennis, don’t need to be tested, yet all the other ones have been tested weekly. Testing is something that other schools don’t do as well as BHS, according to Ross Parker, BHS’s athletic director. “I think the district has done a good job of targeting resources in a way that trying to make sports happen,” Parker said. “I think sports are by and large one of the safer things kids can do in this environment. I mean, the last two years have shown that. We ran a full sports season last year when it was in distance learning, so I think that’s important that kids need [sports] and that safety is important.” Students also recognized BHS and BUSD’s care with safety measures. “I think BHS is doing a pretty good job with COVID-19 safety,” said Isol Draves, a freshman who got an exposure notification as well. “At the beginning of the school year, I was worried we might have to go back to distance learning at some point.” Despite the outbreak, McDermott said in per-
son schooling is still safe. As the outbreak was relatively small, and there is no chance of going back to virtual schooling, she said. “I think the message to the community is to continue to work to stop the spread of COVID in our schools. ... Vaccinations are an important step in that process,” McDermott said. Glaser also said that vaccination and mask wearing will help lead the way back to more normal schooling. “I think that [vaccination] and mask wearing is our path out of this right back to normalcy with school,” Glaser said. “I think it’s our community’s responsibility to talk to people and encourage them to get the vaccine if they feel comfortable.” Parker still thinks sports are important and, as long as they are safe, should continue. “At the end of the day, I’ve been in close contact with kids since June of 2020,” Parker said. “Sports has been the only thing for kids to do for almost a year... I never once felt unsafe [with] surveillance testing.”
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021
NEWS
BUSD Students Five and up to Receive Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine BY ELLA CREANE staff writer
The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine was officially approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use among children aged 5 to 11 on October 29. The first COVID-19 vaccine to be approved was the Pfizer vaccine, for which the FDA issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for those aged 16 years and older on December 11, 2020. The FDA later extended it to include those aged 12 to 15 on May 20, 2021. In the city of Berkeley, feelings towards the vaccine are reflected in the high vaccination rates stated on its website, which say 87 percent of residents ages 12 to 75 and older are fully vaccinated, while residents aged 12 to 17 have a vaccination rate of 99 percent. Because many younger children are still in the process of receiving the vaccine, information about vaccina-
tion rates for this age group is not yet available. That being said, the vaccine appears to remain well-received in Berkeley. “I feel fortunate that we live in a place where most people trust scientists and research, and that Berkeley is so highly vaccinated,” said Jamie Epstein, a Berkeley mother of two kids aged six and eight. “I appreciate that it’s a hard decision for parents to make for younger kids … but most parents that I know have been very eager and ready to get their kids vaccinated,” Epstein said. Megan Mcquaid, a Berkeley resident with two kids — one of whom is in the newly-eligible age group — agreed. “I think [the vaccine] will reduce the chance of transmission when the kids are together, which then protects the adults who are more at risk from getting sick,” Mcquaid said. “Also with the Delta variant, more kids are getting sick as well, so it’s also protecting them. I
think it just allows for more freedom and less scariness around being social and human interaction, which is so important,” Mcquaid concluded. For many young students, distance learning and the changed school environment proved difficult, with a lack of access to learning spaces and emotional connections hindering growth. “I’ve been at Malcolm X for 17 years, and I’ve taught all kinds of grades, but this is the first time I’ve seen such a disparity between kids,” said Jessica Arroyo, a second grade teacher at Malcolm X Elementary School. “We have kids all across the board because of the pandemic and kids’ different access to resources during distance learning,” Arroyo added. The approval of the vaccine could make schools a safer space for students and staff and allow young students to get back on track. Many also hope that access to the vaccine will further
Families await vaccination for their children at Rosa Parks Elementary School.
protect young kids and their families, allowing life to return closer to normal. “I’m really happy [about the vaccine] because then we can do all of the normal stuff, which I really miss. … Once I get the second shot, maybe I won’t have to wear the mask as much, and once everybody gets the vaccine
at school, my teacher said we might be able to go on field trips,” said Niah Mcquaid, a fourth grader at Ruth Acty Elementary School. The aim of approving the vaccine for young kids is to provide families with an extra layer of protection for themselves and their children. Getting children aged
MEI SAPHIR
5 to 11 vaccinated thus has serious implications on vaccination rates in the rest of the country. “I was scared if something went wrong, but … I was also excited at the same time because if I get both shots, then a lot of stuff could change,” said Niah Mcquaid.
School Board Passes Climate Change Curriculum Resolution
BY SERENNA REDWOOD staff writer
The Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) School Board discussed the newly-implemented Coaching Boys into Men program, the Title IX office, and the Climate Literacy Resolution during their November 3 meeting. The meeting’s public comment section was filled with students, parents, teachers, and Berkeley community members voicing their support for the Climate Literacy Resolution, which passed unanimously. The Climate Literacy Resolution is a promise to create a climate curriculum for BUSD over the next 18 months so that students
to fund,” said board member ing, who is the full time Title most,” Farrell said. IX investigator, updated the The board also watched Ty Alper. Earlier in the meeting, board on BHS’s Title IX of- a presentation on Ethnic Studies. Gabriel Lopez, the director fice. of Coaching Boys into Men, The Title IX office has BUSD is currently inpresented to the board about recently acquired a digital stituting an Ethnic Studies curriculum for the program. Coachgrades lower than ing Boys into Men, now called Berkeley “I am definitely in favor of making high school, and BHS Ethnic Studies teachAthletics Consent and Empowerment sure that we can meet the needs of er Hasmig Minassian this generation, [so] they will be shared a timeline of (BACE), is a coaching program that trains better prepared than my genera- the program. high school athletes tion has been when facing [climate According to Minassian, the Ethon how to avoid uschange.]” nic Studies curricuing violence as a relum started in 1990, sponse to conflict, Laura Babitt, when BHS students have healthy relationdemanded it be a ships, and underBUSD School Board director class. Since then, stand rape culture. BUSD has been a It focuses on three ideas — power, conflict, and claims database so that all leader in its Ethnic Studconsent — which are seen in sexual harassment claims ies education. Teachers also made will be recorded digi- gave examples on how they three consecutive units. tally for much easier access approach the central ques BACE recognizes how RAPHAEL BARBOZA important and influential in the future. Along with tion of the class, “Who am graduate high school with a cuts this year, and there is coaches are for young ath- the online database, the of- I and how do I fit into this thorough understanding of currently no specific place letes, and therefore it also fice is making it possible to diverse society?” climate change. where funding for this plan teaches coaches how to pos- submit complaint forms on- The board also took a line only, and looking into moment of silence for su The resolution was the can come from. A focus itively impact their players. last agenda item of the group will have to look at BACE is currently lead- anonymous reporting op- pervisor Wilma Chan, who meeting, and had been dis- grants and other resources ing workshops with the ju- tions. There have been 16 recently passed away. cussed in a previous nior varsity and var- complaints filed this year. Moving forward with meeting. sity football teams, as The office puts those com- the climate resolution, a focus group will be formed to BUSD School “We try to be responsive because well as all three boys plaints into five categories. Board Director Laura volleyball teams. Lo- The Title IX office has of- create the curriculum. The the most important time when a pez said that BACE fice hours on Mondays and board allotted $65,000 for Babitt started the disTitle IX matter comes up, in my “offers cussion by sharing a everyone Fridays, which it hopes to this project. More was to be opinion, is the two days after.” video of young stuin [Berkeley High make more widely known given for the resolution, but the board does not currently dents explaining why School (BHS)] athlet- among students. A full time Title IX coorhave the funds. they think the resoics a safe and collabMegan Farrell, lution is important. orative space to learn dinator will begin work on “I just wanted to thank Interim Title IX coordinator everyone for coming out to Babbitt said there was and express.” A cen- November 29. a petition that had tral focus and goal Farrell spoke on how support the climate resoobtained 630 signaof BACE is to un- the office responds to com- lution,” said Babitt. “I am tures asking for the plan to to find funding. A concern derstand and critique toxic plaints. “We try to be re- definitely in favor of makbe passed. is that in order to fund this masculinity and the patri- sponsive because the most ing sure that we can meet A significant concern of project, budget cuts will archy, as well as define and important time when a Title the needs of this generation, IX matter comes up, in my [so] they will be better prethe board when looking at have to be made in other divest from rape culture. the Climate Literacy Reso- places. Megan Farrell, who is the opinion, is the two days af- pared than my generation lution was funding. BUSD “I think this should be interim Title IX coordinator ter. Because that’s when the has been when facing these has had to face many budget one of our highest priorities for BUSD, and Mary Keat- students need our help the issues,” Babitt concluded.
OPINION BERKELEY HIGH JACKET
opinion editors: Anjuna Mascarenhas-Swan & Lianna Leung
Rebuttal: Spirit Week Can Be Reformed BY MARINA HOWARD staff writer
The Berkeley High School (BHS) community should be appalled by the administration’s decision to not sanction a fall Spirit Week. The attempt at curtailing the usual chaos that the infamous Rally Day brings is really going to prevent students from getting help for fear of retribution. If BHS admin wants to create a safe environment, as they claim, a new kind of Spirit Week must be sanctioned. Rally Day has been a dangerous and unsustainable event for a long time. Within the last couple of years, the tradition has changed. What used to be a way to incorporate fun into an otherwise difficult pre-midterms lull has morphed into a nightmare for students and staff alike. It makes sense that BHS admin would be concerned about this kind of behavior. While the fear is valid, the way in which it is being handled is not helpful. Time and time again, it has been proven that methods of abstinence against potentially harmful behavior are ineffective. Whether it is sex education or anti-drug lectures, being told not to do
something has not helped trol, if something danger- fall Rally Day makes sense. It prevent it, but led to people ous ends up happening on would keep unruly students — especially teenagers — an unsanctioned Rally Day, at bay while not having to partaking in more danger- students won’t feel safe com- directly deal with individual ing to staff for help. cases, right? However, what ous methods. A compromise needs to In a school-wide email ti- about those students who may choose to parbe found. While the take but then experischool cannot condone the violence and A compromise needs to be found. ence some form of disarray that Rally While the school cannot condone harm? Will they reach out for help, or will Day usually brings, the violence and disarray that these harsh guidelines total cancelation is not the answer. A so- Rally Day usually brings, total steer them away from getting the assistance lution can be found, cancelation is not the answer. they need? and one way to do so BHS’s main priwould be to gather a council of both staff and stu- tled “BHS Spirit Week Com- ority should always be safety, dents to discuss safe alterna- munication,” BHS principal for both staff and students. tives. By bringing together Juan Raygoza wrote, “We Although the school may the ideas of youth and staff, will document students’ vi- think canceling fall Spirit we can work to create some- olations and consequences Week keeps people safe, in thing new: a better way to in their permanent records reality, it could end up backshow school spirit that won’t at BHS and communicate firing and causing the same them to prospective colleges amount of harm, except this feel so catastrophic. Because of the harsh and universities.” In theory, time, students will no longer punishments enlisted to punishing students for vio- have a safe outlet to which keep students under con- lating the decision to cancel they can reach out.
BHS students run down Allston Way in Downtown Berkeley during the 2019 Rally Day.
ANDREW HUANG
BHS Must Not Approve Block Schedule BY ELTA TRACY staff writer
Last school year, administrators sent out a survey to all Berkeley High School (BHS) students, requesting their input on a schedule change for the 2021-22 school year. The choice was between a block schedule featuring 100 minute classes but only three periods, or returning to the normal six period system of prepandemic schooling. While it wasn’t approved for the current school year, BHS is still looking into implementing this change, or one similar, next year. However,
the need for that change has entirely passed. Students are now just trying to get back into the hang of in-person school, and another major change that would uproot their routines is not beneficial, so BHS must not approve the block schedule plan. The transition from distance learning straight back to in-person school has been hard on many students, to say the least. Had the school wanted to ease people back in, then a hybrid schedule could have been very beneficial. However, since the block plan was not approved in time for this year, it no longer makes
The proposed schedule would have 100 minute periods.
JEROME PAULOS
sense to switch up the format of school on students who have been standing on unstable ground for the last two years. If BHS decides that a schedule change must happen, then they must not opt for a block period model. It’s important for students to be able to focus in classes, and sitting for long periods doing the same task will impede learning rather than help it grow. Many students are taking Advanced Placement (AP) classes, where the class style is lecturebased. While this is sustainable for an hour, under longer periods many kids will get restless and their focus will be lost. According to Penn State researchers, the attention span of teenagers is around 8 seconds. A 55 minute class period is already long enough to wear down the concentration of students, but increasing it to 100 minutes would make keeping students focused much more challenging, leading to less learning comprehension. This would prevent learning and negatively
impact students’ stamina for work. One appreciated and unique opportunity that BHS offers students is late start Mondays. Teenagers’ bodies are on a very different clock than those of the adult population, and tend to need to sleep in and stay up late more than a full-grown body. Late start Mondays are the only day of the week that many students can get a full night’s sleep. However, last year’s proposed schedule eliminated this aspect of student life. By taking away late start Mondays again, BHS would be taking away the one opportunity that benefits students physically and mentally. No one can deny that forming student-teacher connections is important, and it’s very considerate of BHS staff to strive for that next year. However, while social-emotional learning is important and should be incorporated, a block schedule — especially after a year of BHS regaining its footing — is not the way to accomplish this.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021
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anjunamascarenhass@students.berkeley.net
FAIR HEALTHCARE CANNOT BE FOR PROFIT AARON STEVENS
The United States has the highest cost of healthcare compared with any other country in the world. Our life expectancy is also significantly shorter than countries that have national healthcare, such as the United Kingdom and Canada. In addition, our infant mortality rates are higher than 45 other countries. Just recently, a woman in Georgia was charged seven hundred dollars for an emergency room bill after spending seven hours in a waiting room. She had gone into the hospital for a head injury, but after an excessively long amount of time in the waiting room, she left. When she went to dispute it, convinced it was a mistake, she was told, “You get charged before you are seen. Not for being seen. This is hospital protocol.” Unreasonable hospital charges in the United States go beyond seven hundred dollars, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This summer in Seattle, a man’s hospital bill totalled $1.1 million for a six week ICU stay after catching the virus. The bill was 181 pages long. These frequent cases of overcharging patients creates an environment where people feel that they must only get the healthcare they need as a very last resort. The problem with our current medical system is that it is made for profit. One idea to fight this problem is a “single payer” model. This system is non-profit and the costs of healthcare are covered by a single public system, greatly reducing the administrative costs associated with insurance companies. It would give all US residents medical coverage for all necessary services and streamline the administrative processes. These services include reproductive care, mental health care, preventative care, dental care, prescription costs, and more. A single payer system works effectively in many other countries and typically reduces about half the cost of healthcare per capita without a decreasing the quality of care. In addition to reducing administrative costs, a single payer system would also allow for savings with respect to pharmaceutical costs. The pharmaceutical industry made a revenue of $1.27 trillion in 2020 alone. An example of cost inflation by pharmaceutical companies is the case of the lifesaving medication, insulin, used to treat diabetes. Even though a vial of insulin only costs about $3 to produce, it has a retail price of around $175 to $300. A patient with diabetes typically uses two to three vials a month and at times much more. In Canada, where there is a single payer system, the average cost for a vial of insulin is $35. The reason for this cost reduction in countries that use a single payer system is that they save by buying in large quantities. Some argue that competition is needed for medical innovation, but the majority of medical research is publicly funded. In the United States, “healthy” competition does not lead to healthy citizens.
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021
OP-ED
What Does It Mean When Students Are Inconveniences? It didn’t start at Berkeley High School (BHS). I was first labeled a “difficult student" at Sequoia High School in Redwood City. I was an odd case for administrators, a student with good grades who was on the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma track yet missing classes left and right. It was a running joke with friends that school for me was optional. It was easy to pretend missing school was fun for me instead of isolating, nerve-wracking, and something that marked me as abnormal to the point where it made me uncomfortable. I went home often because I was incredibly sick. My symptoms were akin to the stomach flu for an entire year. I was known for carrying Altoids around, popping them in my mouth every couple minutes. The carbon monoxide in our house wasn’t at a level where it was lethal, so our alarms never went off. Still, I was sick for about a year before we found out. In that time, despite my near-perfect grades, I was shunted off into the twilight zone of school administration. Overworked and misunderstanding administrators had already set me down the path where all noticeable issues go,
OPINION
following the universal American educational motto of you will be respected if you can be successfully ignored. The worst thing you can do as a student is to be inconvenient, and inconveniences can range from being female and harassed by another student, being POC and uncomfortable with a teacher’s joke, or being sick and unable to make class. The Pew Research Center found that disabled students make up 14 percent of national public school enrollment, meaning that at BHS, there would be an estimated 342 disabled students. So why does the school system continue to isolate them? There’s innate dehumanization in your “special” needs being labelled and clinically overseen in order to make you as productive as possible. According to the Atlantic, “Children with disabilities are far more likely than their classmates to be disciplined, removed from the classroom, suspended, and even expelled” (Reynolds Lewis, 2015). There’s also the idea that there is some innate separation between the disabled students, the 504 Plan students, and the "good" students. Although this idea is not malicious in nature, I fell victim to it once. It’s incredibly easy to sit in your IB or Advanced Placement (AP) class and think how you did the work and that’s all it takes. Only recently has that small line of separation grown thinner, especially with the dialogue we’ve been having about former “gifted kids.” This self-identifying group of students seems to skirt the line entirely, demonstrating their need for help in the system without being isolated within it. Many have recounted being labeled as “gifted kids” and sliding into a burnout. There’s almost a defensive posturing to it, that they were gifted, that they were once hailed by this
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system. The truth is that any student who’s quick to work and quiet in the classroom is celebrated by this system. Were any of us ever really “gifted kids,” or were we just convenient? So much of the burnout described by these former “gifted kids” is just no longer conforming to the education system’s demands. They describe being unable to turn in assignments on time, losing all motivation to study, and needing something different from the system. That’s the crux of the “former gifted kid” issue; needing anything is unconscionable. The most telling aspect of the education system’s refusal to change is the pandemic’s shifting standards of what dictates a classroom. Online classes harmed some, but made it possible for chronically ill students to consistently show up for class without needing aid. With the transition back to in-person schooling, we’ve also seen how schools are yet again isolating an entire population. This is not the fault of individual administrators. When we look at the faults of the education system as a whole, we must also look at how it places all responsibility for care on its teachers. This is not a opinion piece on why BHS is corrupt or ableist. It’s merely acknowledging the fact that it’s part of a system in which ill students are seen as burdens before they are recognized as students. I had high hopes for my BHS experience, but not all are currently possible. Regardless, I continue to have high hopes for the people within BHS. People are not inconveniences, and by taking a different perspective, we can continue to learn about how to understand each other. - Dilara Sümbül, senior in BHS Independent Study Program
BUSD’s Expansion of Ethnic Studies Is a Positive Change BY ULYSSES NOE staff writer
In 1991, Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) became the first public school system in the nation to mandate an ethnic studies course. For the last thirty years, this ethnic studies program has been contained within a single semester during freshman year. BUSD now plans to expand its ethnic studies course by weaving it into the curriculums of every grade, which would allow for the lesson material to be spread out over many semesters. Students would be introduced to concepts related to ethnic studies throughout their BUSD education in order for them to build a more comprehensive understanding of the complex racial dynamics that have long shaped the United States. In a nation split on the issue of how to teach racial history, BUSD is making the right decision in expanding its ethnic studies curriculum. This course explores race and ethnicity in its cultural context. It also presupposes that there have been centuries of systematic racism that cannot be solved through "color blindness" but through specific acknowledgement of the problem. On top of that, it teaches deliberate steps that need to be taken in order to demolish racist institutions. One semester is not nearly enough time to teach as large a topic as ethnic studies, especially because it has such complex real world ramifications. Having a one semester time constraint al-
lows for little more than an overview of the concepts related to ethnic studies. Having students learn ethnic studies at a younger age provides teachers with more time to teach the necessary material. In more concrete terms, expanding ethnic studies could mean more representation for people of color in humanities, which is important for all students. Not only is diverse representation crucial to the development of students, but they also need to be educated on the nature of race in the United States. Many people will argue that elementary and middle school students are too young to understand or to be exposed to this country's racial history. From a young age, children will experience complex racial dynamics, especially since children are growing up with more and more unsheltered internet access. This exposes them to very warped portrayals of race in the United States, which can be detrimental. Despite early exposure,
children are given few tools to discern and fend off problematic information. Educating children on media literacy is an issue that cannot be stressed enough in this era of targeted advertising as preteens and teens roaming the internet are the target of political groups. Because understanding the complexity of race is so central to having a holistic understanding of the United States, educating children early on is essential. An expansion of BUSD’s ethnic studies program from a semester course into a curriculum built into the foundation of humanities classes for the whole district will be a force for good. Ethnic studies provides necessary social context to young students trying to make sense of the world. In a similar vein, humanities courses without proper acknowledgement of racial factors do students a disservice. Ultimately, early exposure to concepts of ethnic studies will be beneficial to the education of all BUSD students.
SIENNA PRAK-PERRY
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021
OPINION
Rebuttal: Math Supports BIPOC Students
ROBERT GELLNER
BY ELIOT HERTENSTEIN staff writer
If you asked a random high school student what their least favorite subject was, many would say math. Math is seen as “fairly useless in many careers,” and some say they just “don’t get numbers.” While it’s okay to not enjoy math, it’s a fundamental part of the world around us, and we need students who will solve the world’s problems. Four years of math doesn’t hurt students of color, and discouraging these students from taking challenging
courses only leads to an underrepresentation of BIPOC in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields. One common argument against math is that high school-level mathematics is “fairly useless in many careers.” While someone working at Marshall’s may not be using trigonometry in their daily lives, the purpose of high school is to propel students toward college, a career, or both. Even if a student isn’t interested in engineering, architecture, biology, medicine, or other jobs that apply mathematics daily, these skills provide a
foundation on which many successful careers are based. While it can be argued that many students do not plan to go to college or pursue one of these careers, the purpose of education is to keep student’s options open. In a previous issue of the Jacket, an article was published entitled “Four Years of Math Hurts Students of Color.” It argued that “there is no need for University of California (UC) or California State University (CSU) admissions to require four years of math.” However, this is based on a false premise, as there is no four-year math requirement present at UC/CSUs. Although UC/ CSU universities recommend four years of math, it’s not technically required. It is true that UC schools are also very selective, and for good reason — a university like UC Berkeley receives eighty thousand applications yearly, and can only accept five thousand students. Additionally, one goal of a university is to select those who will succeed in future careers. Many also argue that senior year math courses are needlessly difficult, with “most students who take them [struggling] to succeed.” However, this is by design. These classes must teach the fundamentals of calculus and statistics so that people can actually learn the
skills required in the future. While the previous article on this topic states, “Math courses undeniably disproportionately harm nonwhite students,” there is no “harm” in a difficult course being offered at Berkeley High School (BHS). Colleges look for well-rounded students, and whether or not a student took AP Calculus BC is only a small part of a college’s consideration for a student. Additionally, discouraging students from taking these classes only decreases the number of people of color in mathematics. Many students are increasingly worried about world events such as climate change, or world hunger. While it’s true that math isn’t for everyone, the next generation of scientists and mathematicians needs to graduate excited about solving the world’s problems. If we discourage students from taking these courses, there will be fewer people of color in these fields, and fewer such role models for students who are interested in STEM. This vicious cycle is in our near future if we do not encourage students to explore the deeper side of STEM. Clearly, we need more support for students of color to help them succeed in harder classes, but we must not actively discourage them from certain career paths.
BHS Needs Substance Abuse Resources BY MAURICIO SIERRA staff writer
At Berkeley High School (BHS), most students rarely hear about drug and alcohol-related information after the Social Living class they take in freshman year. Although there are some avenues of information, they are either very vague or not sufficient in helping students. This is a grave issue, and students should have more access to information on substance abuse. Substance abuse for minors within the US is a concerning topic and one that we as a community should become more aware of. According to research carried out by the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics (NCDAS), California teenagers are 24.46 percent more likely to use drugs than the average American teenager. The type of drug also varies, with marijuana being the most common — 85.03 percent of teens reported consuming it in the last month — followed by pain-killers, cocaine, and methamphetamine. According to an article published by Berkeleyside in 2016, “ninth and
Increased education is needed about teenage substance abuse, which runs rampant at BHS.
eleventh graders reported being drunk or stoned on school property [in Berkeley] twice as much as the national average.” To address this, BHS should provide drug and alcohol classes for all students throughout their four years. The BHS webpage does contain resources for parents on how to talk to their kids about substance abuse and seeking treatment. However, it fails to provide help for students who might not have support at home. There should be help pro-
vided directly to students, as they are the ones going to school. Although lots of students have received at least some sort of alcohol or drug education — including classes, lectures, or presentations — a significant portion of students say they haven’t partaken in anything of the sort, with some of them even being seniors who have attended BHS since their freshman year. In these times, it is essential that students have access to any type of help that they
MARINA PEDEMONTE
may need, should they find themselves in a harmful situation. As a school, BHS must work to provide these resources through accessible education programs. There are many forms of support that can be provided to students who are facing a crisis, such as providing outlets for students to vocalize drug related struggles and experiences, as well as working to create an environment where those who need help regarding substance abuse are motivated to seek it rather than be ashamed about it.
IS IT BECAUSE THEY’RE NOT WHITE? SIMONE FAULKNER
Two-year-old Arianna Fitts disappeared on April 5, 2016 in Oakland, California. Just before this, her mother, Nikki Fitts, was found dead by a gardener in McLaren Park in San Francisco. Arianna was described as an energetic, bubbly, and curious toddler by her aunt, who has not stopped looking for her since the day she disappeared. It has been almost six years since Arianna went missing. She is now eight years old and still hasn’t been found. This is in part because of the lack of resources put towards finding her. Unlike many other disappearances, there has been no national outcry or obsession, no amateur internet detectives trying to solve her case, no enthralled followers or investigation. Many have asked the question of whether the color of Arianna’s skin has anything to do with her case remaining unsolved and unknown. Is it because she’s Black? This is entirely the opposite of the recent Gabby Petito case, which garnered massive national attention and outrage. Gabby Petito was killed while on a cross-country roadtrip with her boyfriend, sparking a broadcasted investigation and countless conspiracy theories. Gabby’s case was aired on just about every news and social media platform from the moment she went missing until her body was found. Gabby Petito became a household name, while Arianna Fitts did not. It’s through no fault of her own that Gabby’s case was solved so soon, or that she received so much attention and sympathy. It’s what’s called “Missing White Woman Syndrome.” Simply put, the public cares more about a missing white woman than a person of color. Often, once a person of color is reported missing, the police label them as a runaway and forget to look for them. Furthermore, when a person of color disappears or is killed, the world somehow gathers that they deserved it and labels them a criminal. When a white person goes missing, no one jumps to rationalize their misfortune by finding every bad thing they’ve ever done. People of color are being criminalized, in the sense that their existence is being seen as illegal. People don’t care about “criminals” as much as they do innocent white women. When people of color are murdered or go missing, they don’t become household names like Gabby Petito, Natalee Holloway, or JonBenét Ramsy. You won’t see their faces on the sides of milk cartons, read their stories in the news, or hear their names, and you surely won’t hear about them being found, safe and sound, because recovery seems impossible with all of the odds stacked against them. But there are many Black and Brown people that deserved the same awareness as these girls, and would have earned it if they had been white. Maybe they could have even been saved. Because missing people of color don’t receive the attention they deserve and the police don’t exercise the full extent of their resources to find them, their families are the only ones looking for them and maintaining faith that they will be found. They can’t ever forget about them, even though everyone else has. Arianna Fitts’ aunt has not stopped looking for her since she disappeared; she believes with all her heart that Arianna is alive. Everyday, she waits for when she will reunite with Arianna.
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021
INVESTIGATIVE
Rally Day Through the Years: Cancel or Celebrate? 1960
1970s-90s
With no Rally Day, students expressed their school spirit through homecoming.
Grades competed for a Spirit Cup, winning points through acts of service and dressing up in costume.
2000s
During the mayhem of Rally Day, a vice principal was hit in the head with a bottle and subsequently hospitalized. Rally Day was plagued with violence, with students jumping on police cars and smashing hoods.
2014
Spirit Week included a dance competition and a rise in drinking on campus.
2012 Rally Day was marked by chaotic energy, with sophomores rushing past barricades into the field.
2019
Administration's decision to not sanction a fall Spirit Week has triggered uproar, but Principal Raygoza emphasized that the tradition was merely postponed until the spring.
Spirit Week was canceled due to the pandemic, as school was forced into an online format.
2021 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
However, this wholesomeness later soured. “If the seniors didn't come out on top, they were just so angry, so furious, because they felt so entitled,” Williams said. “It wasn't Berkeley High anymore, it was seniors against juniors, and it was bred from being left out or being taunted.” Frey also noticed this shift when she began working at BHS in 2005. Spirit Week had changed significantly from when she was a student, morphing from a week of service into a week of partying. “We were trying to manage just hundreds of drunk kids,” said Frey. During Frey's six years at BHS, administration worked hard to change the culture of Rally Day, to make it safe and enjoyable for everyone. They provided music and food, conducted bag checks, and allowed students to remain on campus. “Yes, it was a ton of work. Yes, it was exhausting. Yes, my feet hurt,” Frey said. “But it was fun.” In the past, Rally Days ended with students gathered together, sectioned by their graduating year. During the spirit rally, students would yell, “‘We’ve got spirit, yes we do! We’ve got spirit, how about you?’ and then you would point to the other section and they would scream,” Frey recalled. From dance competitions to performing skits, the rally remained significant for the school. “When I took over the position [as activities director] in 2012, it made no sense, but we [held the rally] out on the football field,” said John Villavicencio, the director of activities at BHS. Freshmen and sophomores stood on the field behind small barricades. About halfway through the rally, the soph-
2020 omore class started to rush the field. “I was in the press box, just watching 800 people run across the field,” Villavicencio remembered. “They just started running around in circles because there was nowhere else to go … It was mayhem.” The 2012 rally caused issues and safety concerns, and Spirit Week was completely canceled the following year. Students were not even allowed to do dress up days. “It was a lot of ‘no’s,’” Villavicencio said. It was not until 2015 that Villavicencio was able to convince administration to hold the rally again, this time in the Community Theater at BHS. Former Principal Erin Schweng started working at BHS as a vice principal in 2014. During Rally Day that fall, she and a fellow previous vice principal were “standing next to each other in between the juniors and the seniors,” Schweng recounted. The energy got “more and more intense” as students started throwing sticks from signs as well as plastic and glass bottles. Suddenly, the vice principal next to Schweng got hit in the head with a glass bottle from the crowd. 911 ended up being called for his serious head injury. With a sigh, she said, “that was my first Rally Day.” While it hasn’t always been the case, many students have come to school intoxicated on past Rally Days. One year, Schweng’s Fitbit told her that she walked eight miles around campus while she was on the lookout for noticeably intoxicated students. She remembered finding kids who were so under the influence of “definitely alcohol, likely more, that they were unable to function … Sometimes we would have to call the ambulance for those kids, because they were actually, really in a scary way, unable to respond.”
Frey also recalled that during her first year as an administrator, there were “over 40 or 50 students being called for drug and alcohol issues.” Dana Moran, a Universal Ninth Grade (U9) history teacher, said that now there’s an “anonymous mob mentality.” When there’s a large crowd of students dressed in red and gold, there’s no accountability and “students feel that they can do anything that they want.” With Spirit Week postponed this year, BHS remains divided on the issue. Moran is unsure whether canceling Rally Day has a positive outcome. Regardless, she said that the legal liability and risk of harm are all so high that the administration is left with no other option than to cancel Rally Day. Planning Spirit Week has also proved incredibly taxing on BHS administrators, custodians, safety officers, and teachers. Speaking from experience, Schweng said, “I cannot imagine being responsible for the safety of all those students, and not taking some kind of strong stand against the violence that happens that day.” On the other hand, Frey believes that “It's problematic when administration cancels [Rally Day] because it will happen anyway. It’s better to be prepared for it and have your parent volunteers, safety officers, teachers, and everybody aligned on how you're going to do it.” Frey empathized with students who just want to have an exciting, high-energy week and express their school spirit. “I get it from both perspectives,” Frey said. “They just need to work together to make it fun.” ILLUSTRATED BY STELLA RANELLETTI, layout chief; J HORSLEY, staff illustrator; TALLULAH BENVENISTE, contributor
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021
FEATURES
9
Return to In-Person School Proves to Be Chaotic for Teachers
BY HOLDEN ELIAS staff writer
After nearly a semester at school, the challenges that arose from the shift to inperson learning continue to impact teachers, who have had to adapt to offline instruction in a time of great uncertainty. Many teachers feel overburdened by large caseloads and staffing issues, and some are proposing instituting a block schedule akin to the system Berkeley High School (BHS) had during distance learning. Whether any changes to school protocol will be instituted remains to be seen. In
the meantime, teachers will be forced to grapple with the unique hardships this school year has brought. Carrie McKee, a global history and Berkeley International High School (BIHS) economics teacher, said, “Distance learning was a challenge in many ways. The lack of structure and the impact on mental health were significant for many students.” All of the challenges created by distance learning were compounded by the pandemic, which made for much uncertainty and stress. The return to school was highly anticipated by students and staff, who were
ANJA BALL
eager to get back to something resembling normalcy. “In some ways, it was so great to be back in the classroom with students, and to collaborate with colleagues in person again,” said McKee. “I had forgotten the grind of the six-period day. It was definitely an adjustment coming back.” Besides feeling unprepared to return to a six-period class schedule after a year with a lessdemanding block schedule, teachers also struggled with other aspects of the transition to in-person learning. School staff are struggling with how to teach in-person while still being mindful of the ongoing pan-
demic. “We’re having to deal than I would want it to be.” their curriculum to make with life, while still dealing Some teachers say that up for lost time. “Teaching with masks, vaccinations, this has made teaching tenth graders who were not and testing,” said Richard more taxing, as instruction on campus last year, I'm tryConn, an art history teacher is impeded by factors that ing to keep that in mind and at BHS. While everyone is are outside of their con- hit foundational concepts anxious to return to life as trol. This has forced staff to harder this year than maybe it was before the pandemic, focus efforts on their own I would have last year," said teachers still have to be cau- students, as they have not McKee. tious about doing so. The had much energy to spare Many teachers are now pandemic is still a matter of on wider concerns involving faced with having to teach enormous concern for staff, the whole school. According students who learned very who must ensure that no to Conn, “It's pushed me, little over the year of disone gets infected. for good or bad, to become tance education. “The kids According to Leah Alcala, a little more isolated … I who tuned out last year are a math teacher in the Uni- know that there is a world of at a huge disadvantage this versal Ninth Grade (U9), chaos happening right now year, as I try to catch them “To come back and still be outside of my four walls, but up and teach them the new unsure about how healthy I feel like the most I can do curriculum,” said Alcala. and safe it would be, and right now is just deal with Many teachers have been how the kids would react, [my students].” trying to make up for this was very nerve wracking.” However, it is not just the by providing flexibility for This pandemicstudents adjusting to caused uncerin-person schooling. “A “To come back and still be unsure tainty made lot of teachers are doing the teaching about how healthy and safe it would … flex days, where they e nv i r o n m e nt give students work peribe, and how the kids would react, more challengods to catch up on work was very nerve wracking.” ing, and was because six periods is a c o mp o u n d e d lot of work,” said McKee. Leah Alcala, by some of the While life at other chaotic this moment may seem U9 math teacher elements at the difficult for everyone, start of this a return to in-person school year, including fire teaching environment that schooling could be less tiralarms, which caused diffi- has become more fraught ing. “While I might be slowculty for staff. with adversity. Students er, I also want my kids' lives “I think the hardest thing themselves were also affect- to be slower. … I'm sure that has just been the chaotic na- ed by the pandemic. they're all stressed and anxture of the school itself,” said With students not being ious as they try to deal with Conn. “I feel that a lot of this in person for a year, some the issues life poses,” said year has been more ad hoc teachers have tried to adapt Conn.
On the Other Hand: Inside the Left-Handed Experience at BHS BY MIRIAM REICHENBERG staff writer
Here are some things lefties deal with regularly: metal rings digging into their skin as they write in spiral-bound notebooks, ink smearing all over their hands while taking notes, and strained backs from hunching over desks with no arm support. Clearly, schools were not designed for lefties. “I’ve never seen a lefty desk [at Berkeley High School (BHS)],” said Schuyler Simon-Thomas, a lefthanded senior at BHS. Simon-Thomas believes that “the school should completely switch to regular tables and chairs instead of the small right-handed desks.” Elan Zakim, a left-handed sophomore at BHS, agreed. “At first, I thought everybody just had their arm hanging off the side, but then I realized that the desks have right-sided armrests. We really don’t need the righty desks. They’re not comfortable or easy for anyone to use.” Lefties make up between 10 and 12 percent of the population. While it makes sense that schools are designed to benefit the major-
ity, lefties deserve some recognition. Historically, teachers have forced left-handed students to use their right hand only, in hopes that it would become their dominant one. For centuries, left-handedness was associated with undesirable qualities. When lefties weren’t practicing witchcraft or scheming with the Devil, they were seen as lazy and untrustworthy. These negative associations also manifest in the word “left," which derives from the Anglo-Saxon word lyft, meaning “weak.” While in past centuries, left-handedness was seen as a limitation, today, in the sports world especially, being a lefty is often an advantage. “Nobody expects you to be a lefty,” said SimonThomas, one of three lefties on the BHS girls water polo team. Simon-Thomas’ coach guides her and the other lefties to play in different ways to catch opposing players off guard. Tiffany Liew, the assistant coach of the BHS girls tennis team, agreed with SimonThomas and explained how left-handed tennis players have an advantage. “When you throw a lefty into the equation, it takes a lot more focus. You’re playing a completely different game,” she said.
On the other hand, lefthanded people sometimes don’t receive adequate training from coaches who haven't taught left-handed athletes before. Liew takes this issue seriously, to the point of studying YouTube videos that helped her explain to her left-handed players how to serve effectively. She believes that coaches have a responsibility to help left-handed players hone their skills. “It’s an equity thing, isn’t it?” she
said. “It’s my responsibility to help people learn how to play tennis and make sure that they have as best a chance as possible to improve. … It makes sense from a competitive standpoint and also an ethical one.” In the classroom, lefties find the lack of comfortable desks annoying, but in the end, as Liew said, “it’s just a matter of how well you work with what you got.” Zakim, who plays the alto
saxophone, has experience with adapting to the righthanded norm. He must hold the saxophone on his right side, which was challenging at first, but got easier eventually. “That’s the thing,” Zakim said, “[as a lefty,] I’m already used to improvising with my right hand.” Both Simon-Thomas and Zakim said that not one of their teachers has noticed that they are left-handed. In classrooms that have regular tables, it makes the most
sense for a lefty to sit on the left side of those desks so as not to bump their righthanded peers. Since it’s not a teacher’s responsibility to take note of a student’s dominant hand and then shift seating charts, lefthanded students have found that they must advocate for themselves. Liew, who isn’t left-handed but has had many friends and mentors who are, has learned “not to take [her] right hand for granted.”
OWEN BLAIR
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021
FEATURES BERKELEY HIGH JACKET
features editors: Raven Fonseca Jensen & Amelia WIley Moreira
NICHOLAS DIMARIA
One thing I have noticed about many East Bay locals is their interest in animals & organisms. In particular, I have found that there is a fairly large reptile-owning community in Berkeley and surrounding areas, leading me to wonder, “where all these reptiles are coming from?” When I recently heard of the East Bay Vivarium, the pieces all clicked together. The East Bay Vivarium is located a block away from Berkeley’s Fourth Street shopping area and specializes in reptiles, amphibians, and similar creatures. The Vivarium’s facade is funky looking — windows and a doorway are cut into a muralpainted storefront. One might assume this building is just the workshop of someone who owns a respectable collection of lizards. The inside defies the outside however, as one is thrown into a maze of newts, lizards, snakes, and other comparable life forms. Wooden boxes, each containing a different resident, are stacked one on top of another to make room for plants and natural objects (also for sale). The East Bay Vivarium holds the title of the oldest reptile and amphibian specialist pet shop in the country. The Vivarium was founded in 1971 by Ron Cauble — known by many as Dr. Science — an enthusiast of all things related to life sciences. Cauble originally operated the shop in his basement and eventually moved into a space on MacArthur Avenue in East Oakland. After nearly two decades of operating the Vivarium himself, Cauble ventured even deeper into life sciences and opened up The Bone Room in Albany, featuring ornate mounted butterflies and beetles as well as delicate fossil replicas. The Vivarium was sold to new owners and was soon moved to its current location on Fifth Street in West Berkeley. Today, the Vivarium is owned by reptile gurus Cliff Moeser and Owen Maerks. The East Bay Vivarium features the largest collection of reptiles and similar creatures in the nation. At any given time, between five and eight thousand reptiles and other creatures are available in the showroom. Up in front, one might receive a questioning look from an Indian python or a crested gecko. Deeper in the store, species such as the radiated tortoise — a tortoise with a shell containing several pyramid-shaped humps — can be found, as well as a full collection of frogs and toads. Smaller species found at East Bay Vivarium include centipedes, scorpions, millipedes, and even spiders such as tarantulas. A shop containing over five thousand different reptiles and other similar animals at first seemed more for the “wow factor” than for the factor of knowledge and passion. But after learning more about the shop, I found that both of those things were universally present among employees, owners, and the patrons — whether knowledgeable themselves, or just simply curious.
Will Staff Shortages Impact Rally Day? BY AVHA MEISELS staff writer
The words “Rally Day” bring up controversy in the minds of many at Berkeley High School (BHS). Marking the end of Spirit Week, Rally Day is meant to be a time for students to gather together and show pride for BHS. However, for some students and faculty, Rally Day comes with emotions that are more negative. Recently, fall semester Rally Day was canceled, a decision that sparked backlash from students. For seniors, this is their last chance to take part in the tradition, after a year without any school spirit. Though many students and faculty have strong opinions on the choice to cancel Rally Day, it’s important for everyone to understand the positive and negative aspects of the event. Abby Lamoreaux, a senior in Berkeley International High School (BIHS),
said, “I’ve always had so much fun during Rally Day, and I love how everyone collectively comes together.” However, BHS can’t ignore that there are negative aspects to it. At BHS, sexual harassment, racism, and physical violence spike during Rally Day. In the past, girls had their shirts ripped off and students yelled slurs in the hallways. Lamoreaux said, “Of course, I want to have a Rally Day and show my class pride, but I also recognize that when these communities are not feeling safe, it’s unfair for us to put them in a situation where they could potentially be at risk.” Lamoreaux added, “We need teachers to have their classrooms open so that kids who have witnessed harm or feel unsafe have a safe place to go.” However, because of staff shortages, this Rally Day would have a much smaller number of faculty on campus ready to
help. “[Teacher shortages] concern us every day. So when we think about a day like Rally Day when there’s a lot of kids out of class, it would be really difficult to have enough administrators to keep students safe,” said Principal Juan Raygoza. Overall, it seems like most students, and even teachers, really want a Rally Day to happen, as long as people don’t get hurt. “I personally have loved the Spirit Week during my time at BHS, but I hope we can have a week or a
series of days where it feels safer and it’s joyful for everybody,” explained Claudia Gonzalez, the dean of students at BHS. Raygoza clarified, “I just really want to make it clear that I did not cancel the Rally Day, I postponed it until I can be sure that we can have a Spirit Week where students feel safe. Even though we are not having a Rally Day right now, we plan on having one later in the year.”
LUCY RICART-WEBB
BERKELEY BIZ & ENTERPRISE
Ravenfonsecajensen@students.berkeley.net
WORD ON THE STREET
IS IT UNETHICAL TO GO TO ELITE COLLEGES?
A student in Universal Ninth Grade (U9), Ash Luu, thought that with conflicting media coverage, it was often difficult to construct an opinion on the subject. “There is a lot of controversy surrounding [elite colleges], and I see a lot of different points of views, and I’m not sure on my own,” said Luu.
Miguel Calderon Sanchez, a student in Berkeley International High School (BIHS), said it “depends on who you are, and where you’re coming from. It’s a lot more rewarding if you’re a lower class person who is able to go. ... I feel like if someone is higher class, you don’t necessarily have to work as hard.”
Katherine Graham, a sophomore in BIHS, believes that such an education can be beneficial. Graham said, “I think that people who are just as smart with lower income should be able to go.” However, “I don’t think that just because [someone] got in and has a higher income, they shouldn’t be able to go.”
Pia Wetzel, a sophomore from Arts and Humanities Academy (AHA), said, “I think it’s definitely unfair to have schools that discriminate so much.” They further explained, “The values are definitely unethical; the Ivy Leagues should definitely be more accessible and have that level of education for everybody.”
Saturn Marasigan, a junior in AHA, argued that despite the controversy, students should be able to go to elite colleges. “There are still benefits to going to an Ivy League. ... Opportunity is not given to everyone equally, [but] those who can should be able to.”
For Celia Miller, a student in Communication Arts and Sciences (CAS), people who attend these schools need to be educated on the injustice of such institutions, and to acknowledge their privilege. Miller also said, “Some people just don’t thrive in that environment.”
COMPILED BY MARGOT JOHNSON staff writer
PHOTOS BY AVA MUSSI staff photographer
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021
FEATURES
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Berkeley Theaters Navigate the Lasting Impacts of COVID-19
Like many local theaters, Shattuck Cinemas struggles to maintain business post-pandemic.
BY LAUREN HUANG staff writer
Even on the slowest days with the worst films, movie theaters would always be filled with people. It’s easy to imagine the lines of visitors filing into showrooms to occupy the leather seats, some straggling behind to buy themselves a snack. Now, hours can pass by in empty silence as theater doors stay open, awaiting the arrival of customers. The movie theater industry has come under immense pressure over the course of
the pandemic; film watchers are less willing to attend live shows, companies are required to enforce COVID-19 safety regulations, and an evolving economy is forcing venues to reevaluate their business tactics. “I used to go quite a lot [to movie theaters] before quarantine hit,” said Academy of Medicine and Public Service (AMPS) junior Thiana Kouromenos. Now t hat p e opl e are vaccinated, Kouromenos has started to attend showings again and feels more comfortable because of the
PENELOPE GILLIGAN
screening process. She has had to overcome the fear of being around strangers in a theater, since it felt like too unsafe an option during the pandemic — a common sentiment that has left movie theaters in unfavorable circumstances. Downtown B erkeley’s California Theater permanently shut its doors in October after 27 years under Landmark Theaters, a chain that also runs the Shattuck Cinemas location. Since it closed during the early stages of the pandemic, the centuryold building may have served its last days as a theater, as
today’s real estate pressures saying that there are “a lot streaming platforms, which turn historic structures into fewer seniors willing to ‘take have grown exceedingly living quarters. the risk’ of going out and popular over the course of the M u l t i p l e b u s i n e s s e s about.” Consequently, the past couple of years. These have shut down during the theater has shifted its focus platforms sometimes release pandemic as rent increases largely to younger crowds of movies at the same time when and the demand for housing people who are more likely to they hit theater screens. skyrockets. Plans to develop visit the theater. Kouromenos said watching housing and build from the Whe n t he C a l i for n i a a movie in a theater instead ground up often erase some Theater shut down, so did of on Netflix serves as an of Berkeley’s older charm with a regular spot for college opportunity for spending them. students, w hich C aud le time outside of her home. She An eight-story student noticed brings some business enjoys “the part where you’re housing project is proposed for to Rialto Cinemas. The theater getting ready to go out instead Harold Way, a plan that could has not raised its prices — of just being in your PJs at put the Shattuck Cinemas though it has lost revenue since home.” location at risk of being the beginning of the pandemic Besides, movie theaters demolished or downsized. — and has instead extended offer an experience unlike “A lot of these theaters are its student discount policy to the home setup, Caudle said. really struggling and having attract younger audiences after From 24-foot screens to hot a hard time paying rent,” seeing that other theaters do popcorn in a dedicated space said John Caner, the without distractions, CEO of Downtown theaters create an Berkeley Associates. environment where “Part of the challenge “Theaters have been going through a one can enjoy a film is some of the older really long, hard two years. ... At the away from the daily theaters want to stay same time, we are in a good position for hustle and bustle. comp etitive with “Theaters have these theaters to recover.” other venues.” been going through The Rialto a really long, hard Cinemas in Elmwood two years,” Caner Josh Caner, i s t h e l o n g e s t CEO of Downtown Berkeley Associates said. He continued, operating theater in “At the same time, we Berkeley, according are in a good position to its General for these theaters to M a n a g e r, J o s h recover, for people to Caudle. He explained that not offer student discounts. get vaccinated and [for] people the venue has seen a decline As well as competing [to] return to live theater. And in senior customers since the against other venues, theaters there is no substitute for live beginning of the pandemic, have had competition with theater.”
BHS Food Pantry Provides Aid to the Berkeley Community shared goal of improving the including religious institutions represents an increase of 320 community stay fed while health and well being of our and local nonprofits. million people in one year. continuing to learn important community,” Hill said. Everyone deserves to have “ C O V I D - 1 9 h a s life skills for themselves. The fo o d dist r ibute d access to fresh and healthy highlighted the inequities in As other BUSD schools Every two weeks, on the first through the pantry comes food, said Hill. “But, in our our society ... there are a lot of have observed the successes of and third Tuesdays from the Berkeley society, there’s always going people who, you know, don’t the food pantries at BHS and of the month, tables Food Network (BFN), to be people in need that aren’t have much,” Hill said. BTA, some have considered on the sidewalk at which collects food quite able to have a consistent Even t hroug hout t he starting their own. As Hill “The food pantries help connect our the intersection of from food businesses way of having access to healthy pandemic-related shutdowns said, “I think [food pantries work, students, and teachers at all Bancroft Way and and t he A l ame d a food.” of schools and businesses, are] kind of picking up some BUSD schools.” Martin Luther King County Food Particularly in the past two the food pantry was able to with, you know, COVID-19.” Jr. Way are covered in B an k , a l ong w it h years, during the COVID-19 continue providing food to The possibility of more food Debra Hill, fresh produce, ready recovering food that pandemic, many of these people in Berkeley who needed pantries means the potential to eat meals, and dry would otherwise go inequalities have become even it. Each year since 2018, when for less hunger in Berkeley. CTE teacher goods. Community to waste from local more apparent. According the students enrolled in the “We should be giving food to members, assisted by farms, grocery stores, to statistics from the World public health CTE class first everyone who needs it,’’ said high school students, fill bags healthy nutrition. and restaurants. The BFN Bank, 30 percent of the global came up with the idea to create Hill. She continued, “Everyone of food to take home from the “A food pantry is a great partners with numerous other population lacked access to a food pantry, students in the should have access to healthy food pantry run by the Public way to provide sustenance organizations to hand out food, adequate food in 2020, which class have been helping the food.” Health Cooking Career and and survival, really; for many Technical Education (CTE) families, as well as individuals, class at Berkeley High School [it’s a way] to have access to (BHS) for free. A similar healthy food,” said Hill. “And pantry is available on the it’s just a good way to promote second and fourth Tuesday healthy food for students, of the month at the Berkeley rather than processed, high Technology Academy (BTA). sugar foods.” The students in this CTE Je z r a T homp s on , t he class, taught by Debra Hill, supervisor of the districtwork at the food pantry twice wide gardening and cooking a month. On other days, they programs, shared a similar prepare meals and then eat perspective. She said that them together during class as working at the food pantry has they learn about diet-related been a meaningful experience disease and local policy related for many students who have to health and diet. learned through the pantry The students are paid to about food insecurity and work at the pantry as part how they could contribute of their CTE internship. to making sure members of According to Hi l l, w ho their community had enough also teaches biology and healthy food. life sciences, the pantr y “The food pantries help is beneficial not only to connect our work, students, community members, but and teachers at all Berkeley also students at BHS involved Unif ie d S cho ol Dist r ic t in the program. Her class aims (BUSD) schools with the These students in the Cooking Career and Technical Education class at BHS work at the BHS Food Pantry twice a month. MALIN MORELL BY SASKIA FREEDBERG staff writer
to educate students about how to feed themselves, and also how to make sure that those in their community are getting enough food and access to
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021
ENTERTAINMENT BERKELEY HIGH JACKET
Entertainment editors: Asha Baudart-Gehlawat & Ruby Freedman
: s n a p ntion S
ashabaudartgehlawa@students.berkeley.net
BY JOSEPHINE MORASKY staff writer
e t t A e Teenag ? o G y e h T d i D e Wher ALEX MORGAN staff illustrator
The abilit focus on o y to consume as much of this ne thing as poss for extend ible. This results in TV for teen ed period p e o p age s le who tend of time is to spend a inspired “scro rs. TikTok tion deterioratin g minimal amou amongst te lling cultu to the ac with its fi nt of time o en tio re” scre fteen to si n is undenia s, and this every piece of en. The plo n on the b u x ty o il d - u p bly conne se in n t d can vary in c fo rm v ideos, and ation cted they consu to the cult the num- each episode, but p me. For te lo ure of end b t e r th lines, o f available e cha ens, acters and lessly the ever-ch swiping th TikToks the overarc r- and puzzle anging nat rough Insta to w a tc h is endle s? Lonu gram, of scrollin hing TikTok, a ss. These theme will stay co g and skim re videos, ger films, nd other n si ming st which rewhether a social can keep e ll n o media platf t, w ing for min they are them hook orms. Socia imal atten quire deeper an ed for dances, comedic ti l me- hours, whic o n dia has con d m to be necessa shorts, or h scientists tinued to w ry. When critical thinking ore shows hav say simply someone ta reak decreases at havoc on te , have lking on e plot twis tention spa a screen, enagers’ m ts, new started to slowly ns. characters ental Attentio have heav health, b drop , n spans are o il a ff y ehavior, n d action the face o im- qu task- paired teens’ abil addic- dependen f our telev se- si ences, the tions, and in it t, y to io w se cus on me n screens. creasingly, hich mea fo- att factors ca These aspe ns their that there dia that de est to the attention n re isn’t a univ c m ts sh q span. Wat ands sp u o ersal more attention. W ching time interv an that im rt attention m ire complete engag movies req hile epial in which euires focusi e so p n a t and sitt d c ic ts sh te te ows are stil enagers’ ability ens ng on can focus. ing throu the same st l Certain tee p to a g o sl h p oryline for a e ower-pace ular W mong teen njoy movie ns can more devote the d experien hen a plot s, many c than thirty s. an ir attention c h is e d to , o minutes, w gradual, th ose are simultaneo simultaneo to a hich specific task ey in makes goin for hours, su g while w usly scrollg to the the phones du usly use their d overwhelmed by b orea aters, as scrollin ch om, which ring episo or even si g through movies is a tching these des of leaves roo ttin feeds thirty-minute m fu th tile task. fo e r watch a lon g down to or playing v m in d to wand entertainment. Ofte ideo gam g film, a n er back to Undoubtedly, social med es, early while simu ntimes, tee impossible as social ia. media pla ltaneously nagers task for yo being will choose shows tf o rm ung unable to fo H social med ig s h -action m evolve that ha cus on a film ily engross ia users. ovies such and keep teen homework or viewers, le st- as The Hunge s hooked With w a it r ss a li v h G ig tt in overwhelm a le to no ro content, y ing more than tw nment for om for gra g Runner, and D mes, Maze ple oung peo amounts o enty minute plots. For dual st iv w e il f social m rg l continue e n t h ave eadily inc s. instance, e- With this com to swipe dia conte m re m in a te se a d e e n s the phelessly on th d in popu ns can nt having nom watch six y larity among - inst e enon become st teen m ead of wa ir phones teens. Th reamable to sit th of being unable seasons of Grey’s e tc o se v h ie ing movs h rough a m ave a simil Anatomy, through ovie but nine seasons o ar appeal ies. While socia different easily b to short ep l media f Th re ezing throu isod e Office, platforms, can be a gh ten fifteen seasons o form of c have fast-p ic shows: they many seasons of onnecf Criminal a show. tion betwe people, b aced plots Minds, or ut spe- Socia en teens, don’t con a se n d v e n se l it ca tain much a media com also affect cifically te panies New Girl. These sh sons of up — th enagers, like Tik buildtheir abilit n e T ok have ru ows tend might start perf y consume o ined the to be the prefe ther media to to feel appeal o phone-abso ect movies for rred altern the need f . R ele lo rb a n e ti rn g d v e in e r, a te - O to movies g how to to see and mov ens. complex n the othe because te ies and eve immerse th e a m r g e n e n se h rs - happ infiltrated and, what lves in lon can simu the experie ened to th ger forms ltan of enterta nce of wat e docume inment, a ching scroll through the eously taries, d n s well ir ra ma as detach phones while bare ing from comedic fi s, and even ly paying solms that attenrequire cial media, is crucia attention l fo to teens to ac r hieve the a velopment, character debility to sit th complex, rough a m slow ovie unbothere d.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021
ENTERTAINMENT
The Harms of Equating Violence to Sex BY VIVIANA HILARIO staff writer
24 children between the ages of 12 to 18 are forced to fight to the death until only one remains. This gruesome tale is the premise for The Hunger Games, a film series intended for children ages 13 and up. However, movies such as Bad Moms and Girls Trip are rated R (Restricted) for sexual content, despite having plots practically devoid of violence. Our society has created such a stigma around sex that a film about murder and starvation can be advertised to pre-teens, but movies that feature sex are deemed wholly inappropriate for youth. In our media, it seems as though sex has not just been equated to violence, but is seen as an even more harmful subject. When watching a R-rated film on Netflix, “sex, drug use, and violence” appears in the upper left corner, as if the two concepts are just a comparison. How can torture and mutilation be held to the same
moral standard as consensual sexual relations? The reason for this is because of the stigmatization of sex in our society due to a societal desire to shelter our children and preserve their innocence. Although these views may seem outdated, the stigma around sex is still very much alive, hidden behind the illusion of modern progressivism. The perpetuation of slut shaming in our society is clear evidence that conservative views on sex still hold power in our society, and it is because of this that movies and other media forms tend to treat sex as immoral. This succeeds in keeping sexual content out of films rated PG-13 (Parental Guidance Strongly Encouraged for Children Under 13) in order to “protect” children from this completely natural part of life. This idea that we need to protect our children from sex has proven to be harmful, leading children to engage with sexual content with limited knowledge of
what they’re witnessing. Lack of education in sexual and reproductive health is one of the leading causes of teenage pregnancy, as illustrated by a study conducted by researchers at the University of Washington. This research found that “teens who received comprehensive sex education were 60 percent less likely to report becoming pregnant or impregnating someone than those who received no sex education.” Whether a person is sexually active or not, the consequences of lacking substantial sex education are
extremely detrimental and can yield life-long consequences. Although movies and TV shows are not an adequate replacement for sex education, the rating system for movies actively contributes to the stigmatization of sex. Every one of us has or will be exposed to sexual content one way or another, so if a 13-year-old viewer can witness Hunger Games character Katniss Everdeen take the lives of four people with her own two hands, a little skin-to-skin action on screen isn’t the end of the world.
GABRIELLA BUSANSKY
Villain Origin Films Encourage Empathy BY STEPHANIE JERSEY staff writer
Movies, books, shows, and even bedtime stories have traditionally utilized the conventional narrative of good versus evil. In recent years, the stories behind the villains of these classic tales have come to light in new films. From Maleficent to Joker, these movies have proven to be a success at the box office despite the differing views of critics, viewers, and workers in the film industry on this new plot development. For many companies, such as Disney and Marvel, these back stories pose an opportunity to further profit off of these classic stories. Many generations have developed an attachment to these popular tales, since these films successfully take advantage of the viewer’s desire to reminisce
and build upon stories from their adolescence. Additionally, the redemption arcs within the films give the villain a chance to be viewed as a complex character rather than simply the evil antagonist. While these films vary in topic, they fundamentally share the basic idea that these villains are a product of the cruel world around them. Critics believe that this logic causes a false idea that there are two equally valid sides to every story, even for those villains who carry out the most heinous crimes. Since mainstream films can have a strong influence on our society, many people believe that there is an element of danger that comes with this idea. In a Time article, Stephanie Zacharek, while talking about the impact of these films, wrote, “Respecting every viewpoint, including those of villains, only re-
ANJA BALL
sults in a murky gray mass where none are respected at all.” Many worry that when we begin to validate everyone’s viewpoint, even those who have committed harmful acts, we lose our ability to distinguish right from wrong. Furthermore, there is also a belief that rather than offering an explanation for the villain’s actions, these stories create excuses for them. Manipulated by the tragic upbringing of these villains, viewers may begin to justify the negative actions carried out by them. Some believe that this will lead to a lack of accountability that could reach past the screen and into society. Contrary to these skeptics, supporters of these films argue that these characters raise awareness around mental health issues. Many villains featured in classic stories are clearly suffering from untreated mental conditions such as depression, PTSD, or anxiety. Although not addressed directly, there is an underlying notion that these villains’ actions are deeply impacted by the state of their mental health. In the 2019 film Joker, protagonist Arthur Fleck is a failed comedian who is forced to do demeaning work as a clown to survive life in New York City. He feels isolated and ostracized by those around him, which leads him to transform into the iconic psychotic character he is known for, the Joker. Throughout the film,
the Joker frequently alludes to his mental illness. In one scene, he poses an eyeopening question: “What do you get when you cross a mentally ill loner with a society that abandons him and treats him like trash?” He then follows up with the answer: “You get what you deserve.” These quotes allow us to understand the deeper cause of the Joker’s actions, as well as providing a broader commentary on the importance of mental health treatment. While the consequences of neglecting mental health aren’t usually as dramatic as those portrayed in these films, a lack of mental health services has a detrimental effect on the well-being of individuals and society as a whole. The villain backstory is undeniably controversial, and there is clear disagreement on whether the empathy it introduces is helpful or harmful. Regardless, these plot lines challenge our traditional idea of classic fairy tales in a creative way. These movies further develop the one-sided classics into multi-dimensional stories that change our perception of the antagonists. They also shine a light on mental illness, revealing the complexities that influence these “evil” actions in fairy tales. Overall, the awareness that these back stories create can hopefully help our society move forward in support of mental health diagnosis, trauma prevention, and treatment.
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SOCIAL CHANGE AND HORROR LIKO SMITH-DOO
The greatest horror has always walked a line between the deeply impersonal, unknowable ambivalence of the universe and the uncomfortably close and relevant. Well-written horror should make us feel alienated and get under our skin; we must be both aware but uncertain of what horrors lie ahead. For an example of this, look no further than HP Lovecraft, who despite the rampant racism, classism, and sexism throughout his stories remains highly relevant to this day. I believe the reason for this is that people are still able to connect with Lovecraft’s conceptualization of the universe as an unknowable place filled with things we can’t control. There are few things scarier than being told that the problems we as a society are struggling under the weight of are not only real and dangerous, but also utterly unknowable. Not being able to solve something is the root of endless human conflicts. This is the core of truly impactful horror, and skilled artists can turn these ideas created by Lovecraft and his contemporaries into something to be used for positive change. Climate change, racism, classism, sexism; all these issues that everyone constantly says we will solve can be leveraged for chilling socially conscious horror in our stories. When writing horror with social change in mind, it is important to realize that hopelessness and abject dread are utterly incompatible with change. As much as Lovecraft’s characters can get lost in a haze of insanity, potential activists can get lost in a labyrinth of climate inaction, crawling reforms, and increasing inequality. To create truly effective socially conscious horror, you have to both portray the unknowable but also show that even if we may never truly understand these societal nightmares, we can nonetheless overcome them. To find an excellent example of media which walks this line impeccably, look no further than the excellent video game Darkest Dungeon by Red Hook Studios. In Darkest Dungeon, you play a manager of an adventuring party trying to retake your family estate from eldritch horrors. Throughout the game, it becomes clear that to “win,” you will need to begin treating your adventurers less as characters and more as disposable resources, forcing you to think like a sociopath if you want to reclaim your family fortune. When I first played this game, realizing this fact was far more than a simple change in play style; it unnerved me. I have heard friends describe the experience of beating the game as “helping me to understand the mindset of my abusive boss” and “seriously making me reconsider how labor is handled in the US.” If a video game about grimdark financial management could make people think this hard about societal ills, imagine what a full length novel could do. Fundamentally, horror has always been a genre pivoted on the deepest societal anxieties and the change they can bring. From Lovecraft to Darkest Dungeon, we see how these anxieties manifest and how they can be both positive and negative reflections upon our society. It is up to us as creators to do something truly positive with this terror and maybe even use it to change the world.
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021
ENTERTAINMENT
Romanticism of Art Museums Leads to Disconnect With Youth The Museum Of Ice Cream and The Color Factory took the immersive nature of this strategy to the next level: they created massive art Generation Z has a difexhibits with the sole purferent relationship with art pose of providing a cool, museums than prior genartsy backdrop for photos. erations. Art museums have Although this modification recently become a site for in art museum culteenagers to take Inture is aesthetically stagram photos and pleasing, these showfilm TikToks instead The custom of aestheticizing cases lack the distinct of appreciating the museums on social media is social commentary artistry around them. trivializing, and it prevents and provocation of This growing disconthought that have nect between today’s youth from actually engaging been key characteryouth and traditional with the artwork or creating istics of art galleries art is concerning to dialogue. for hundreds of years. many artists who This isn’t an inherent worry about the wanproblem, but it can ing admiration of artistic pieces. This recent recent years, art museums be worrisome when this occurence directly relates to experimented and changed lighthearted, social mediathe fact that the consump- their approaches with hopes oriented attitude is applied tion and distribution of art of attracting a younger au- to meaningful art exhibits are now largely achieved dience. For example, the with deep cultural signifiusing social media. Works San Francisco Museum of cance. of art and art museums Modern Art (SFMOMA) The normalization of have been reduced to a installed a successful ex- museums created solely background for teenagers hibit titled Self Composed in for Instagram posts has alto show-off their “refined 2016, where visitors could lowed teens to develop the taste” on social media, plac- take photos of themselves belief that all art museums ing no importance on the with interesting silhouettes serve this purpose. It is no art’s meaning, history, or to create contemporary art surprise that we see teenagselfies. Wildly popular mod- ers using historically estabcontext. Historically, art mu- ern art museums such as lished, orthodox art muse-
BY ZADA SANGER staff writer
seums have been a place where culturally significant pieces are on display for the education, enjoyment, and introspection of the attendees. Museums hold artworks that depict the human experience specific to a certain time in history. In
THE CROSSWORD
ums as photo backdrops. Regrettably, this new purpose for museums devalues the pieces by emphasizing the surface level aesthetic of the art without a second thought about the meaning behind it. Many art critics argue that in-depth analysis is an integral part of appreciating artistic creations. Another factor that has contributed to the increased superficiality in the relationship between youth and art is the practice of perpetrating an idealized version of oneself to the public through social media. There is an air of elegance and class associated with art museums like The Met and The Louvre, as well as renowned works of art. Amidst themes of travel, health and fitness, and city lifestyle, the idealized aesthetic of academia and art manifests itself in showing off one’s sophistication in a museum. Many social media users utilize art museums to contribute to this aesthetic; the intellectual and elegant essence of museum-going naturally fits the desired theme.
Furthermore, the custom of aestheticizing museums on social media is trivializing, and it prevents youth from actually engaging with the artwork or creating dialogue. It allows art to become a product used to briefly flaunt one’s worldliness and cultural experience.
This change in museum culture and etiquette has diluted the experience of witnessing artistic creations. That said, any initiative that attracts large numbers of people to a museum creates the opportunity for someone to discover something new and perhaps be truly moved by it.
ELLIOT SCHRAG
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ACROSS 1. Modify to a specific standard 5. Celestial body 9. Similar 14. Room used for passage to other rooms 15. A stack 16. Spanish word meaning “to put” 17. Emery, Spanish manager of Villarreal FC 18. Sacred bull of the Egyptians 19. Silly, pointless 20. To harden by alternately heating and cooling 22. In a poor manner 23. Order of mammals containing whales and dolphins 27. Ullsted and Toivonen, both Swedes 28. A combination of things merged together 32. Symbol that represents an entity 33. Contempt 34. Southeastern European cave salamander 37. La Brea is one 40. “___ me” an expression of surprise 42. Grauer, actress who played Artemis in Percy Jackson 43. Refrains from hard work 47. Fragile golf ball holders 48. Bad-natured, difficult 51. A flat board used in a pair to move across snow 53. To fully satisfy 54. What barons and books share 56. Lifted up 60. Overzealous excitement or enthusiasm 61. Hollow cylinder for transporting liquids or gases 64. Casual nickname 65. Nash, poet famous for silly rhymes 66. Paradise garden 67. Andrews, FOX Sports’ NFL sideline reporter 68. To make fun of someone with small verbal barbs 69. Small circles of color 70. Ordered groups DOWN 1. Closed 2. All windows have one 3. Ancient civilization from western Iran 4. Equestrian footstep sound 5. Where Leonidas and the 300 hailed from 6. To imbalance
7. Iconic boxer 8. A measure of image sharpness, in short 9. Capital of Samoa 10. The city with the most top-flight soccer teams 11. Total (2 words) 12. Country that is home to Nairobi 13. Old word meaning “before” 21. A way of measuring brain waves 22. John Logie ___, inventor of the first television 24. US organization dedicated to mathematics 25. The precursor to the Canadian Air Force 26. Ken ___, Japanese-American Chicago mobster who survived a point-blank shooting 28. Most common type of saxophone 29. A low wail of grief or pain 30. Home of the Taj Mahal 31. A singular amount 34. Chocolate and vanilla sandwich cookie 35. In ___ of, in their stead 36. An untidy and unpleasant area 38. Organization formed to fight for Irish independence 39. The state of having tight muscles 41. Paul’s House from the Dune series 44. Units in the military responsible for scouting out enemy positions and identifying targets 45. Body ink, in short 46. Now-defunct broadcasting company run by the patron of the national spelling bee 48. Population centers 49. Insult to middle-aged women 50. The time when you think you will get to your destination 51. Shakespeare’s medium 52. Somewhat, informally 55. Between the white lines 57. Confident 58. To revise and correct errors 59. Underground animal homes 60. “Word” in french 61. What got Barry Bonds into trouble 62. Altar (2 words) —saying Raven Fonseca Jensen 63. Domesticated animal
— Nicholas McGlashan
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SPORTS
SPORTS BERKELEY HIGH JACKET
sports editors: Luisa Bertolli & Norah Lee
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021
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norahlee@students.berkeley.net
Berkeley High Girls Golf Gets One Step Closer To NCS Playoffs When Dilliehunt started coaching at BHS, the team had four players and no previous coach. His first year, With Berkeley High the team didn’t win any School (BHS) sports such as matches. “We were really water polo or soccer at the starting from the bottom,” forefront of students’ minds, Dilliehunt admitted. Howit is often easy to forget that ever, the team has slowly inthere is a rich multicreased its wins over tude of other sports the years. “We’ve been at the school. Out of “I think that most of my girls will steadily building and the 3,200 students at continue to play golf, and it will becoming more of a BHS, nine athletes help them in life, in business, in part of [BHS] culture,” meeting people.” make up the girls said Dilliehunt. golf team that pre Dilliehunt atAhmad Dilliehunt, sides over the Tilden tributes the team’s Park Golf Course recent success to the BHS head golf coach during the fall seaattitude of his golfson. Despite its small ers. “Everyone was size, the BHS girls golf team is no small feat. one hundred percent comhas made big strides this Dilliehunt learned how mitted … I believe we gave past season, ending with a to play golf from his father, it our best shot,” he said. 6-7 record. who was a professional While golf is an individual Ahmad Dilliehunt, head golfer. He went on to play sport, the team aspect is coach of the BHS golf team golf for BHS’s rival in golf, very important to winning for the past six years, said El Cerrito High School. “I tournaments, since individthat this past season has never would have seen my- ual scores are combined to been one of the best for the self coaching for [BHS],” he determine results. Practices girls team. “It was a really joked. are dedicated to building inBY PEARL GAUTHIER staff writer
good season, one of my favorite seasons so far,” Dilliehunt said. The team almost made it to the North Coast Section (NCS) golf playoffs for the first time in decades. For a small golf team that is virtually unknown to the rest of the student body, this
A player on the BHS girls golf team putts a ball into a hole at the Tilden Park Golf Course.
dividual skill while matches bring the team together. Abigail Kaneko, a senior in Academic Choice (AC) and a player on the girls golf team, explained that the small size of the team has formed a tight bond between its members. “We were all very supportive of each other and became friends,” said Kaneko. The girls team met every Monday through Thursday at the Tilden Park Golf Course this fall and participated in matches a couple of times each week. The boys team
will have its season in the spring. Kaneko, along with most of the girls on the team, didn’t know how to play golf when she joined, but she said that Dilliehunt was very supportive and taught her everything she knows now. “He definitely brought competitiveness, and he always wanted us to have fun,” said Kaneko. The existence of this BHS team is great for female students, since girls aren’t often encouraged to play golf as much as boys. By being a
NINA PARRY-FRANKLIN
part of the team, BHS’s golfers get to play in courses across the Bay Area for free. “I think that most of my girls will continue to play golf, and it will help them in life, in business, in meeting people,” said Dilliehunt. “Golf has been a big part of my life, so whatever wisdom I can impart on my students … that’s what I’m here for.” In terms of the next season, Dilliehunt said his goal is to continue to expand the BHS golf team and help players make it to the NCS playoffs.
Video Games Parallel Athletics BY ARIANA YEROVAM staff writer
RIOKA HAYAMA
Offensive Team Culture Persists BY JONAH LACHS staff writer
America consistently incorporated stereotypes of Indigenous people into the names of its early sports teams. While a portion of these teams have changed their names, high profile examples remain, such as the Kansas City Chiefs, the Cleveland Indians, and the Atlanta Braves. The Atlanta Braves just won the Major League Baseball’s (MLB) 2021 World Series, and this has cast a spotlight on the Braves’ team imagery, which is evocative of stereotypical Native Americans. This year’s World Series was certainly a divisive one. On one side stood the Houston Astros, who cheated their way into winning the championship in 2017. On the other side, the Braves played with their aforementioned appropriation. Fans of other teams felt like there was no side to root for after their own team was eliminated. San Francisco Giants
supporter and sophomore at Berkeley High School (BHS) Joaquin Almanzan was one such fan. “I had things that I liked and quarrels with both teams,” Almanzan said. “I doubt that anyone wants cheaters winning [and] I do like the [Braves,] but I have issues with their image.” The Atlanta Braves took their name from a New York political group that their original owner, James Gaffney, was a part of. The group tokenized the Native American experience and culture by making its symbol a cartoon American Indigenous person. Other features of the team imagery include uniforms featuring a stereotypical tomahawk underlining the name of the team on the jerseys. Fans of the team also perform a chant called the “Tomahawk Chop” after a big play. It involves swinging one’s arm in a chopping manner while chanting a stereotypical Native American war cry. Parks Ramsdale, a freshman at BHS, is a Braves fan who shared his thoughts on
the chant. “It’s been a tradition of Braves’ fans for a really long time,” he said. “But it’s part of an even bigger history and that’s the oppression of Native Americans.” Referring to fans who oppose the movement, Ramsdale said, “I can see where they are coming from. It’s a big part of the Braves’ tradition … [but] I think those people need to understand that it affects so many [Indigenous people] negatively, and that we as fans can make up another cheer that doesn’t hurt anyone.” Some teams have already taken strides in the right direction, one example being the football team formerly known as the Washington Redskins, which changed its name in 2020. Additionally, Ramsdale said that “There were so many things that were different [at the Braves’ founding] compared to today … With the times changing and more people realizing and standing up for [Native American] rights, they need to hop on board.”
Electronic Sports, commonly known as Esports, are a relatively new type of sport since their beginnings in the early 2010s. Defined by Oxford Languages as “a multiplayer video game played competitively for spectators, typically by professional gamers,” they are video games to an organized extreme. Some common and popular examples of Esports are League of Legends, Valorant, and Overwatch. Though Esports may not fit into the typical idea of athletics, they should still be considered legitimate sports. Oxford Languages defines a sport as “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes
should be considered sports, given they don’t require intensive physical exertion. However, activities such as chess, bowling, table tennis, and pool compete with this statement as well. The news agency Reuters stated, “The International Olympic Committee recognized chess as a sport in 1999 and a year later it was an exhibition event at the Sydney Olympics.” Chess could be said to require just as much physical exertion as Esports, proving that our cultural definition of sports has less to do with athleticism and more with the environment and mindset surrounding them. Major Esporting events include The International, an worldwide championship for the game Dota 2, hosted by the game’s producer and developer, Valve. At around 40 million dollars, the International has the largest Esports prize pool. The Super Bowl, one of the w o r l d ’s
largest sporting events in general, has a prize of $130,000. Competition is a defining feature of sports; it is evident that Esports fit this description due to both their financial standing as well as their highly competitive environment. Esports also have a substantial following reminiscent of more traditional sports. Gamers vie for large audiences and their fans have energy levels which match the passion of traditional sports fans. Berkeley High School itself has a significant population of students and staff who feel engaged and challenged by competitive Esports. These characteristics are what have afforded Esports the popularity and status they currently hold. In fact, they are being considered for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. As the sports world broadens its definition of what should be considered a sport, for Esports, it should mean recognizing more talented and hardworking people as athletes. AYAMA
RIOKA H
against another or others for entertainment.” A key point here is the mention of “physical exertion.” This statement contradicts the idea that Esports
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2021
SPORTS
FALL REVIEW, WINTER PREVIEW COMPILED BY SOFIA RODRIGUEZ “I think the cross country season went well. It AND SHYEL MEISELS was a ... good season to come back on,” said Aris staff writers Carter, a BHS junior. The practices held six days a week were punctuated with meets every few weeks. The league season concluded with the team dominating in the Western Alameda County Conference (WACC) 12 league finals. The most notable achievements were the junior varsity boys placing first, varsity boys placing third, and both the frosh boys and girls coming in third as well. The now-underway winter season is a time of relative rest for the runners, who must balance preparation and recuperation before the spring, when it is common for cross country members to run track.
At the close of the 2021 fall season, Berkeley High School’s (BHS) varsity football team finished with a 3-6 record. “The guys played really hard. We had the opportunity to win every game, even if it didn’t always go our direction,” said James Hodgins, head coach of varsity football. “Our main focus for next year is to really just continue to gel our team together and create more of a family feel. Our team is really young and talented and if they continue to work hard, they’ll be unstoppable.” The football program began off-season workouts on November 15 and will continue with strength, speed, and agility training Monday through Thursday mornings until the end of 2021, open to anyone interested in joining the 2022 team.
Girls volleyball at BHS had a successful season as well, with an 11-14 record. Every weekday without a game was a practice day for the team, which also competed in three separate tournaments. However, according to junior Samara Hackett, the season could have gone better. The recent loss of the previous head coach coupled with the introduction of new leadership created difficulties with the team dynamic. “It’s been difficult after Coach James [Manuel] passed away, who was the best coach I ever had. His coaching style was so perfect, and I feel that it’s really hard for people to come in after him and to expect … to be as good [as Manuel,]” said Hackett. Despite these difficulties, the team made strides this year and will continue to make gains next season.
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BHS’s water polo program thrived this year, with varsity boys and girls water polo finishing with records of 21-8 and 8-16 respectively. In addition to practicing at the BHS pool Monday through Friday before or after school, each team played multiple games a week against other Bay Area teams. “I think as a team we improved a lot this year, especially with our team chemistry,” said Lily Welsh, a BHS junior. There’s also a large crossover of water polo players in the fall going to the swim team in the spring, while the winter — like for cross country runners — gives the water polo players a chance to rest. BHS wrestling has many features that head coach Ben Nathan believes set it apart from other programs. These include the lack of expectation for people to come in with any experience, and the no-cut policy, allowing anyone to join the team. Fans enjoy the fast-paced nature of the quick matches. Nathan looks forward to “getting back to something approaching The girls normal. Last year, when and boys basketball I had a very good programs wrapped up tryouts on senior class, our November 8 and are heading into season was three a new season with heads high. Last matches... I think year, COVID-19 brought the girls this year we have 16 program’s usual three teams to one. tournaments lined Amiyon Gray, a senior and three-year up.” This includes one player for the girls basketball team, looks at BHS on January 13. forward to “finally getting back on the court, and hopefully getting the students to come out and watch.” With their first games weeks away, Mazi Brooks, a junior who has played two years of boys basketball, looks forward to “working hard.” Soccer is one of the most competitive sports at BHS, but as girls soccer coach Alejandro Mendoza said, the team is also a family. Mendoza’s girls varsity team continued as the 2020-21 West Alameda County Conference Foothill division league champions for the third year in a row, finishing with a 9-0-0 record. Mendoza looks forward to “games, and more games, and just having fun, and being able to compete with the best schools.” Naod Habte is a BHS junior about to begin his third BHS boys soccer season and looks forward to “going face to face with competitors and ... my teammates.” The soccer seasons are structured with frequent home games, the girls teams kicking off on November 29 and the boys teams on December 10.